Infant and Toddler Program

There is nothing more essential to the thriving of your child than nurturing, intimate, loving, care.  You, as parents, are your child’s first caregivers; and when first caregivers need support –  as they always do – the caregivers you choose become your child’s extended family.  This healthy, extended family relationship is possible whether the caregivers are blood relatives, or adults in the community who love children and are naturally gifted with caregiving intuition and skills. 

We employ infant caregivers who love children, are naturally gifted with caregiving talents, have prior experience, and who are trained and certified in the care and safety of young children.

Deep and respectful relationships between the caregiver and the child, as well as between the caregiver and the parent, are the foundation of our program.  These relationships help create a strong sense of self.

That I Am Worthy of Attention is the earliest stage of self-identity. This is the sense of self each caregiver consciously helps each child develop. And caregivers want each parent to feel the same way.  This relationship with the parent starts with communication during their very first planning meeting, as the caregiver listens to the parent’s description of the child’s home schedule, personal rhythms, and special needs.  We facilitate this with our approach to daily communication. 

At drop-off and pick-up, via text, phone, and images, you and caregivers are communicating about your child’s day.  Reports on sleeping, eating, diapers, and inclinations are recorded and shared.  An easy place to sit and talk is always available.

From this relationship- building and emphasis on communication, naturally arises individualized and flexible care.  Each child has an individual care plan developed between primary caregivers and the parents.  This plan is designed to sustain the eating, feeding, sleeping schedule created in the home, adjusting collaboratively as appropriate overtime.  As the caregiver comes to know the child intimately, she has the freedom within her day to flexibly respond to your child’s individual needs and emerging personality.  The amazing thing about an individualized schedule, is that it yields so much one-to-one time.  Because each child is on his own schedule, there are more one-to-one periods as they each have their own sleeping times.  

Our program then supports the continuity of these relationships as the child ages.   Even as s/he becomes a 3 and 4 year-old, shared time with their early caregivers is facilitated because of the intimacy and flexibility of our program.  Visits to and from teachers of older children allow your child to feel a sense of the larger extended family that includes our pre-school.

A warmer and mini-fridge in the classroom makes it easy for caregivers to be responsive to your child.  A minimalist approach to furniture assures that there is an easy flow of energy in the room and safe space to crawl and explore.  The changing table, sink, and diaper disposal are all designed for maximum attention to sanitation and ease of use.  Comfortable chairs invite parents to sit and nurse or talk with our caregivers at the beginning and end of each day. Natural materials assure the high quality of the air. Children are free to explore the age-appropriate toys in the room.  Caregivers are free to stroll outdoors with children in their arms or pay visits to children in other rooms.  Caregivers and parents wear masks and follow other safety measures as required by the Department of Health. 

Morningside PlayCare is founded on a vision of multiculturalism and cross-cultural communication.  Your child will be cared for by native Mandarin and native Spanish speaking caregivers.  S/he will grow and play with children who speak a range of languages at home. Most of our families are well-traveled internationally, and chose us because they value and respect diverse cultural perspectives.  This is the social environment in which your child will be nurtured. 

We know that as children grow their needs are different; and we meet the children where they are, attending to the development stage more than age.   As they move from a focus on developing a sense of security, to exploring the world through movement and their senses, to making the separation between themselves and others and attempting to define and assert themselves; you and their primary caregiver are collaboratively meeting their needs, right where they are.